November 23, 2003 Communion Dedication - Baldwin Christian Church

Colossians 3:22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:

Philemon 7-20
v.7 For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.

To the Hebrews of that time, bowels were considered to be the source of a person's kindness, compassion and mercy. In our culture it's the heart, so think of the heart when you hear "bowels" in this passage. "...the hearts of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother Philemon."

What usually comes next after somebody flatters you? They want something, of course!

v.8-9 Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee (to demand this favor of you) that which is convenient (the right thing for you to do), Yet for love's sake I rather beseech thee (For love's sake, I ask instead of demand you, and for good measure, here's a double-barrelled guilt trip for you...), being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner (literally and figuratively he was a prisoner) of Jesus Christ.

So, Paul butters up Philemon with flattering words, eggs him on by asking instead of demanding this favor, and tops it off with a thick, creamy layer of guilt frosting, so what's he gettin' to?

v.10 I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:

This doesn't mean that Paul was siring children while he was in jail. It means that in a city with a population greater than Dallas, Onesimus found Jesus when he found Paul in chains. (Nobody can convince me that was an accident.) Onesimus, a runaway slave, Philemon's runaway slave...

v.11-14 Which in time past was to thee (Philemon) unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me: Whom I have sent again (I'm sending him back to you): thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels (receive him just as you would my own heart): (Onesimus, ...) Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel: (obviously he was a useful help to Paul in prison) But without thy mind (apart from your judgment, without your consent, Philemon) would I do nothing; that thy benefit (that your "doing good, doing the right thing") should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.

("...not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:")

If I were Philemon reading this for the first time, at this point I would have to pause and look up at Onesimus. Onesimus, my unprofitable servant who stole from me and ran away, has now come back to me willingly, with this precious letter in his hand. Those compelling words are ringing in my ears: "doing good should be voluntary, not an imposition (in singleness of heart, sincere)." Suddenly I realize that the anger and resentment I've felt toward Onesimus have become my master, they've cost me my freedom, they've been a prison for me, and I break down, but Paul isn't finished convicting me yet...

v.15-19 For perhaps he (Onesimus) therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord? If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself. If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account; I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.

"If he took anything from you, whatever it is, I'm good for it. Besides, I don't want to bring it up, but who was it that first shared the Gospel with you, hmm? (wink, wink)" It's pretty obvious that Paul was a lawyer at some point in his life. And, as if that wasn't enough, check out the next verse...

v.20 Yea, brother (Philemon), let me have joy ("oninemi" in the Greek) of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels (give my heart rest) in the Lord.

The word "oninemi" only appears once in the Bible, and it's here in Philemon, verse 20. "Oninemi" means to be helpful, useful, full of joy. "Oninemi" is the root of the name "Onesimus." The word "joy" appears twenty four times in Paul's writings, and of these, four different Greek words are translated as "joy," but here is the only place that he uses this very unusual word "oninemi." Of all the places he could have used it, Paul pleads with Philemon to, "let me have joy (oninemi) of thee in the Lord," in a letter pleading for a servant named Onesimus. (Nobody can convince me that was an accident.) If I were Philemon reading this for the first time, at this point I would be slain in the Spirit.

As for what happened to Onesimus, the traditions tell that Philemon did receive him, even taking Paul's hint and setting him free. The working of the Holy Spirit in Onesimus convinced him to return to his master and be a good servant. The working of the Holy Spirit in Philemon, as tradition has it, convinced him to view Onesimus as his brother and set him free. And, as tradition has it, Onesimus went on to become a bishop in Berea.

"Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God." The irony of Colossians 3:22 is in the fact that Onesimus, a runaway servant carrying a letter in humility back to the master he'd stolen from and abandoned, also carried back Paul's letters to the churches in Colossae and Ephesus. Much good and much joy come when we give ourselves up to become useful, helpful bondservants of Jesus. I can't explain it (only testify to it), but the more of our own interests we set aside in committing to the cause of Christ, the more He frees us and the more He blesses us.